Crew-served weapon

Sailors prepare a 25mm crew-served weapon before a live-fire exercise aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex.

A crew-served^[1] (crew-serve or crew service) weapon is any weapon system that requires a crew of more than one individual, as opposed to an individual service weapon, to function at optimum efficiency due to its operational complexity, such as requiring one person to load while another fires. The weight and bulk of the system often also necessitates multiple personnel for transportation.

Crew-served weapons operated by infantry include high-precision/special application rifles, anti-materiel rifles, medium machine guns, heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, mortars with calibers less than 120 mm (4.72 inches), anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, recoilless rifles, shoulder-launched missile weapons, and static anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

These weapons are chiefly used as infantry support weapons. Many of these weapon systems can also be mounted on wheeled or tracked vehicles.

See also

• Personal weapon and Small arms for weapons used by individuals
• List of crew-served weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces

References

1. Introduction to Crew Served Weapons - USMC OFFICER http://www.usmcofficer.com/the-basic-school/training-phases/phase-3/introduction-crew-served-weapons/

External links

• Jane's Infantry Weapons